Secrecy and honour above all
Initially, I did not wish to draw up a list of directions and guidelines for the coven. However, I feel there are some areas where it would be prudent to have particular standards set in place, in order to protect us all from exploitation and to set a method of keeping undesired individuals either outside of the coven or in a situation where they can do very little harm, should they have malicious intent. Also, the guidelines are designed to ensure fairness and equality to all in the C.o.V. Thus, I have drawn up the following, in the intended best interests of the C.o.V. These directions are to ensure everyone is treated fairly. Whilst they may seem like reasonable ways for adults to behave and common sense, it is of note that common sense is not common to everyone.
Lord De’Long
Committee
There is no committee in the C.o.V. I view a committee as ‘an alleyway, down which good ideas are lured and quietly strangled.’
Rituals.
There exists a wide range of vampiric rituals. There are rituals to carry out many offices in vampire life and for many reasons they can be performed. If you wish to carry out rituals, I have information on those which I feel are the most highly regarded and it is to these I would direct your attention. Please contact me for further information on this. If you wish to perform rituals, then I recommend you do so with other members.
Guests.
This is not a secret society but more a society with secrets. Therefore, it is not encouraged to have uninvited individuals within the Knights level of the group. If any guest is to join us for a meeting of the coven, then it will be at the invitation of the Master or a Knight and seconded by a Knight (or the Master), depending on who extended the invitation. An uninitiated individual will be permitted to visit on the recommendation of a single Abeovate, authorized by a Knight or above. Otherwise, 2 Abeovates of good standing are the minimum required to present a prospective new Abeovate or invite a guest.
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N.B Any invitee is the sole responsibility of the inviter and the inviter will answer to the Knights / Master in the event of a disagreeable state of affairs developing from that invitation. This, of course, should never arise, as trust is one of the primary cornerstones of the C.o.V.
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It is recommended that if a visitor is to be leading a ritual or addressing the C.o.V as a whole, then they should be nominated by 3 Knights if at all possible, but no less than 2 from the Knighthood or above. The Master may introduce such a visitor, but only in agreement with one Knight, on the basis that the Master would not wish to bring the coven into disorder.
The Master or 2 Knights in agreement can decline or overturn an invitation or membership request, providing they have good reason and may only do so in the best interests of the C.o.V and not due to outside personal reasons, *unless* they know the individual to be of bad character.
A Knight or the Master holds the most important offices in the court. Accordingly, they carry the most responsibility and should be afforded due respect, by the rest of the Abeovateship.
Conduct.
We will show courtesy, friendship, honour, loyalty, trust, and polite conduct to each other at all times. We never raise a hand to C.o.V.
Any person, who behaves in a manner which shows the C.o.V in a negative way in a public domain, will receive one warning. If they ignore this or continue in negative behavior, they will be expelled and blacklisted.
If any individual bring their membership into question, within the C.o.V out of the public eye, they will have a private meeting with 2 Knights or the Master, where their behavior / conduct will be discussed. They will be able to redeem themselves and if they repeat their offences, the whole Coven will be informed.
Again, they will be given the chance to make amends. If this does not bring the individual back to good conduct, they will be expelled and blacklisted.
This is not to ‘lay down the law’ but to act as protection. While there are many devoted to vampires, there are always the people out there who will try to be derogatory / vindictive and they are not welcome in the Coven.
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Any veto / acceptance or other decision can be carried out solely by the Master of the C.o.V, on a unilateral basis. In other words, the Master has the final say on any and all C.o.V matters and the final decision is binding.
However, in the event where it is felt by the C.o.V that the Master has erred, any and all reasonable arguments that an Abeovate or above feel are valid should be presented in writing. The Master will then discuss the issue with the Knights and the decision returned to the Abeovates. In other words, you have the right of appeal, as no one is infallible. This is also true of the statement in the section titled ‘Conduct.’
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